Nepal Flood Rescue: Two Workers Pulled Alive From Hydropower Tunnel Nine Days After Flash Flood

Kabir Maharjan, a project supervisor, and Sanjay Shah, a mechanical foreman with the Nepal Electricity Authority, were pulled from the tunnel as rescuers continued searching for others.

Two workers have been rescued alive from the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project tunnel in Nepal, nine days after devastating flash floods swept through the country.

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Two workers rescued alive from Nepal hydropower project tunnel.
• Rescue nine days after flash flood offers new hope.
• Over 500 workers feared trapped; search operations continue.
• Flash floods killed 1,259; 5,000 people still missing.

Two people have been rescued alive from a hydropower project tunnel in Nepal, nine days after a devastating flash flood swept through the country and raised fears that hundreds of workers could be trapped underground.

Local television channels aired images of the mud-covered workers being carried out of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project on a rescuer's shoulder. Nepal lawmaker Sri Ram Neupane also shared images from the operation on Facebook shortly after Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the rescue.

The two workers have been identified as Kabir Maharjan and Sanjay Shah. Shah is a mechanical foreman with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), while Maharjan works as a supervisor at the Trishuli-3 'A' Hydropower Project. Their rescue has renewed hopes that other workers trapped in tunnels could also have survived.

Voices Heard Inside Trishuli 3A Tunnel

The rescue came nine days after the August 26 floods, which devastated towns and valleys across Nepal. The flash floods were likely caused by a glacier collapse and caused widespread destruction across the region.

Local reports said rescuers heard the voices of more people from inside the Trishuli 3A tunnel as teams continued their operation. The reports have raised hopes that additional survivors could be located as rescuers work to clear the debris and reach deeper sections of the tunnel.

The latest rescue also comes as teams continue operations at several other hydropower tunnels. More than 150 people are feared trapped across about half a dozen such sites, with rescuers facing difficult conditions as they attempt to reach those still inside.

Around 500 Workers Feared Trapped Underground

According to local authorities, about 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects across Nepal. Roughly 500 of them are believed to be trapped inside tunnels, turning the underground search into one of the biggest challenges facing rescue teams after the floods.

Engineers have been pumping air into the tunnels as part of the rescue operation. Teams are continuing to search for signs of life while working through debris and other obstacles left behind by the powerful floodwaters.

The rescue of Maharjan and Shah offers a crucial sign of hope for families still waiting for news of missing workers. Authorities are continuing efforts to locate others who may remain trapped underground.

Nepal Flood Death Toll Crosses 1,200

The scale of the disaster extends far beyond the hydropower projects. Nepal's disaster management agency said at least 1,259 people had been killed, while more than 5,000 remained missing.

The disaster also affected the Chinese side of the border. As of late Wednesday, China reported 21 deaths and 541 people missing on the Tibet side.

With hundreds of workers still feared trapped inside hydropower tunnels, rescue teams are continuing their efforts in the hope that the discovery of two survivors nine days after the floods could be the first sign that more people are still alive.